Automated telephone numbers dialers are well known. With one type of such dialer a personal computer sends a telephone number to a local device, such as a modem or fax card, that then automatically dials that number. While some dialers may require that a phone number be specified via a keyboard concurrently with dialing, with more advanced dialers the phone number can be entered in many other ways. For example, a set of phone numbers can be stored in a data file and then recalled for display on a display screen as needed. An operator may then select a number or numbers which are then sent to the local device for dialing. Even more advanced systems are possible, such as fully automatic systems which automatically dial stored numbers without an operator being present.
Telephone dialers having a system operator that specifies a number concurrently with dialing are highly efficient in establishing communications. This is because the system operator can use the audible feedback provided by the telephone system. Such feedback typically includes dial tones, busy signals, prompting beeps, machine answering tones, and recorded comments ( . . . the number dialed is not a working number, please consult your directory . . . ). Additionally, while less common now then in the past, a telephone operator may provide interactive dialing assistance, such as by informing the system operator about such problems as a lack of a country designator or by providing missing area code information.
However, the more advanced automated dialers may not be able to utilize the available feedback information. This is because a phone number may be dialed automatically without a system operator present, the dialing system may not provide a means for monitoring the dialing process, or the telephone system being used may not provide feedback for the telephone number dialed. Without feedback, the automated dialing system may not be aware that essential information was left off of a dialed phone number; examples of missing information include billing charge codes, access codes required to obtain an external line from a private phone system, a "1" before the area code when dialing long distance, or foreign country access codes. Even if all dialing information is present, a phone number may contain information that, while needed in some circumstances, is not needed to make that call on the particular telephone system being used: examples include an area code with a local telephone number, a local prefix with an inside call on a private system, or foreign country access number information with a call that is not international.
In view of the above, it would be desirable to have a system and method of examining telephone numbers before dialing, and, if problems are detected, of modifying those numbers so as to enhance the chances of successfully establishing communication. Beneficially, phone numbers would be examined and modified based upon the content of the number itself, the dialing requirements of the automated number dialer, and the rules of the particular telephone system used to make the call.